The Line
by jemb
Summary: Booth has drawn the line but does that mean the line can't be crossed? Pure BB fluff, no plot whatsover.


**_Just a little piece of pure BB fluff that popped into my head at work. I hope it satisfies your fluff needs and if it does, please review and let me know what you thought. _**

Special Agent Seeley Booth strides through the Jeffersonian, flashing a smile and a little wave to Angela Montenegro as he passes her. Over the last two years he has begun to feel at home in this place, something he never thought would be possible. He is a little ashamed to admit how he initially felt working with the talented scientists of this institute. Each case they helped with, he grew to admire their work more and it didn't take long for his feelings for his partner to change from platonic to something he knew he shouldn't be feeling.

Booth's feet carry him in the direction of his partner's office. He knows Brennan will be hard at work, despite the clock approaching five pm on a Friday afternoon. She is deeply committed to her work and it can be incredibly difficult to drag her away, especially when she is in the midst of a case. Still Booth will always try because ever moment spent with her outside of work is a moment that allows him to better understand the woman behind the scientist, the woman he is falling for harder and harder every day.

When Booth reaches her doorway he is not surprised to see her flipping through a book, but he is surprised to see that the book is a yellow pages. She cradles her telephone between her ear and shoulder, whilst chewing down on her bottom lip. Booth hovers at the doorway, unsure whether he should enter or not. He opts to wait by the door, allowing his eyes take in the beauty of her strong features. A small smile creeps onto his face as he watches her chew on her lip. It's a habit she doesn't realise she has but one that Booth finds adorable. He often wonders what it would be like to touch her lips, to kiss her and have her respond to him. But he knows that it will never happen because if it does, their relationship will forever be changed and he isn't sure if he's ready for where that will take them. Booth is snapped from his thoughts when Brennan speaks.

"You can't have anyone come out until Monday?" Brennan asks, her voice conveying pure frustration. "Okay, I understand." She sighs heavily and sets the phone down just a little harshly.

"Something up Bones?" Booth asks, a cheeky smile plastered on his face.

"My sink is leaking." She tells him as she reclines back in her chair. She allows her eyes to travel from his head down to his waist, smiling when she sees the flashy belt buckle. His ties, socks and belt are his not so subtle way of attracting female attention and allowing his personality to shine through the suit associated with his Special Agent status. She often wonders what he would say if he knew how he had captured her attention.

"And I assume you're having trouble getting a plumber?" he glances at the yellow pages she has discarded on the desk.

"It would appear that every plumber in the city is busy this weekend, which means that instead if being here like I planned to be, I'm going to be mopping up my kitchen all weekend." Brennan leans forward and heaves herself out of her chair, walking around her desk to join Booth, sucking in a quiet breath as her arm brushes his.

"If you'd like, I can come and take a look." He offers. He hopes it comes out sounding casual but the thought of spending even a little time with Brennan alone and away from the lab excites him.

"You?" Brennan smiles a little at the thought of Booth coming to her apartment. He often stops by but it is almost always case related.

"Sure, I'm pretty handy around the house. I am a man." Brennan can almost see his chest puff out with male pride.

"Doesn't mean you can fix a leak." She teases, knowing it annoys him when she contradicts his alpha male tendencies.

"So you don't want me to help then?" Booth taunts, shrugging his shoulders and backing towards the door.

"Wait." Brennan grasps at his arm. "I didn't say that."

"Okay Bones." He smiles warmly. "I'll come by first thing tomorrow."

"Can't you come tonight?" she hopes that didn't sound desperate.

"I'm taking Parker to dinner." His smile changes to one of joy and Brennan can't help but feel happy for him. She knows every moment Booth spends with his son is precious to him.

"Tomorrow is fine." She agrees quickly. "Uh Booth." She calls as he heads for the door.

"Yeah Bones?"

"Was there something you came here for?" she asks.

"Oh, right." He nods and reaches into his suit pocket. "I just stopped by to drop this off." He hands her a folded piece of paper. Brennan takes it and unfolds it, pursing her lips.

"Booth, you know I hate when you fold important documentation." She scolds when she sees the evidence transfer notice.

"Sorry." He grins cheekily and Brennan's frown is quickly replaced by a smile. His smile can always bring one to her face. "Is nine okay for you?" he asks.

"Uh sure, nine is fine." She agrees, her eyes still scanning the paper in her hands.

"Well, I gotta go. Rebecca is dropping Parker off in an hour."

"Bye Booth." Brennan glances up as her partner heads out. It is only when she sits back down at her desk that she realises she's just agreed to let Booth play hero and come to her apartment and fix her leak. _He is going to lord this over me for months_ she thinks.

Xxxx

Brennan is busy changing the towels which have been sopping up the excess water from the bucket under her sink when her doorbell rings. She rises to her feet and wipes her damp hands on her jeans and tugs down her black vest as she hurries to the door. She pulls it open with one hand as she brushes her hair behind her ear with the other, making sure she looks good.

"Morning Bones." Booth greets her with a bright eyed smile and a fresh coffee from the deli down the street. "Coffee?"

"Come on in." she chuckles a little as she steps aside to let him in. As he enters, she notices he has a large toolbox in his other hand, one that looks worn and well used.

"You came prepared." She glances at the dark grey box in his hand.

"I didn't think you'd have all the right tools here." He shrugs and sets the box down on the floor.

"And what would make you think that?" she asks teasingly.

"Someone who spends all afternoon trying to get hold of a plumber obviously doesn't know how to do it themselves and logic would lead me to believe they would not have tools either."

"Think you're so smart huh." Brennan smiles as she removes her coffee from the carry tray Booth is still holding.

"So, which sink is it?" Booth asks as he sets the carry tray with his own coffee still in it on the table.

"Kitchen." She begins to walk across the apartment, glancing sideways at Booth and catching his eyes for just a moment. She sees a flash of something but as quickly as it appeared it is gone. As she steps aside to let him access the sink, she wonders if she actually saw something or if it was just her imagination running away with her. Booth is an animated man and his face carries a variety of emotions at any one time. Distinguishing those emotions can be difficult, especially for her.

As Brennan leans against the counter, Booth crouches down in front of the cabinet under the sink and peers into the darkened space. He is positive he can feel Brennan staring at him.

"It's probably something simple." He tells her as he stands up. Brennan takes a long sip of her coffee as Booth moves back across the kitchen and picks up his toolbox. When he joins her in the kitchen again, he sets the toolbox down once again then shrugs off his jacket and places it on the counter. To Brennan's surprise he then takes off his black shirt so he is standing before her wearing only his jeans and a form fitting white vest. Brennan keeps her head down but allows her eyes to drift up, slowly letting them trail from his head down to his torso. She only just manages to avert her eyes before Booth notices.

"Think you can fix it?" she asks, a hint of a challenge in her voice. Booth chuckles and crouches down to begin his work.

Brennan leans her back against the counter as she watches Booth at work under her sink. He lies on the floor, his head inside the cupboard so he can see the pipes. All she can see is his body from his chest down and she allows herself the pleasure of admiring it since he can't see her staring. As he breathes, she is transfixed by his chest rising and falling, his muscles evident through the think fabric of the vest.

"Bones." He calls. She stands up straight and sets her coffee down on the counter before moving to the sink and crouching down.

"Can you pass me that wrench." He waves his hand in the general direction of the toolbox.

"Uh sure." Brennan looks into the box and realises she has no idea what a wrench looks like. She scans the various tools, a frown crossing her face.

"Bones?" Booth asks, wondering what's taking her so long.

"Um, I don't know which one it is." She admits, feeling a little embarrassed.

"It's the one with the yellow handle." Booth chuckles and holds out his hand. Brennan quickly identifies the tool, grabs it and lays it down in his open palm, her fingers brushing against his skin lightly. He pulls the tool under the sink and begins to work on one of the pipes. As she does so, Booth cranes his neck up for a better view and catches sight of Brennan. Due to his position, all he can see her torso, encased in a tight black vest. His eyes drift to her chest, gently rising up and down as she breathes, and he loses concentration for just a moment. But in that moment he manages to loosen the pipe a little too much and suddenly water begins to spray from the pipe. Booth grunts as Brennan jerks backwards trying to avoid the cold water shooting out at her.

"Damn." Booth curses as he tries to tighten the nut and stop the water. He can't seem to get it under control and soon the water is soaking the floor and Booth. He wriggles out from under the sink and sits up, quickly getting to his feet.

"What did you do?" Brennan asks.

"It's okay, I just need to…" he grunts as he changes position, kneeling before the sink and reaching in. "…get the…" he still can't get the water to stop flowing so he jumps back to his feet.

"Where's the shut off switch?" he asks Brennan, wiping his wet face with the bottom of his shirt, giving Brennan a fleeting glimpse of his toned and tanned abs.

"Bones, the switch." He stares at her as she drags her eyes away from his body.

"Uh, the other cupboard." She blurts out, moving past him to get to the switch. As she steps onto the growing wet floor, her foot slides and she loses her balance; her arms flailing around as she tries to recover.

"Woah. Bones." Booth gasps as he grabs her arms to try to steady her. But her momentum is too great and combined with the slippery floor beneath their feet, Booth loses his balance too. As the pair fall to the ground, Booth manages to move his arm so when they hit the ground, Brennan's head is protected from hitting the hard floor by his arm at the back of her neck. When they land, Booth falls on top of Brennan, one hand clutching her waist.

Booth and Brennan lie still for a moment, the water from the sink still showering down over them. Slowly, Booth lifts his body and shifts to the side, resting his weight on his hip, his arm remaining on Brennan's waist.

"You okay?" he asks, staring down into her beautiful blue eyes. She nods, a little stunned by the fall and by the intensity of Booth's stare. Her eyes drift to his hand as he brings it up to her head, gently pulling the wet hair away from her around her face. His hand remains on her cheek a little longer than it should and she sucks in a breath, excited but also scared by his touch. She sees his eyes darken and fill with passion. For a moment she thinks he is going to kiss her and that feeling only grows stronger as his head seems to lower, moving closer to hers. They remain on the floor, water drenching them and their eyes locked intensely for another minute before Booth manages to tear his eyes away from hers, the reality of their situation kicking in. He lifts his arm, bringing Brennan's head and upper body off the floor with him. As she rises, her eyes are level with his chest and she cannot help but stare. The water has soaked his vest making it nearly see through and the material is plastered to his skin. His muscles are clearly visible and Brennan is entranced and she feels her heart racing and her body temperature rising, despite the cold water showering her. She knows Booth has a good body because he works out but she had no idea he was this in shape. His muscles are perfectly defined and she has to resist the urge to reach out and touch them.

"I'd uh, better get that switch." Booth mutters, trying to drag himself away from Brennan. He is enjoying the feeling of her soft skin on his a little too much and knows how risky it is to remain in this position. His heart is already pounding so loud he is sure she must hear it.

Once Booth has the water turned off, he turns back to Brennan. She is sitting in a pool of water, her jeans and vest now soaked through. Booth leans down and extends both hands to her. She glances up at his smiling face and slips her hands into his, allowing him to haul her to her feet. Once again she finds herself staring into his eyes and she is sure she is not mistaken by what she sees in his deep chocolate pools.

"I'll get you a towel." Brennan chokes out as she turns on her heels and quickly leaves the kitchen, her heart still running a mile a minute. As she rummages through the hall closet, she takes a moment to steady her breathing and bring her heart rate under control. When she returns to the kitchen, she feels a lot calmer until she sets sight on Booth. Standing in the middle of her kitchen, his hair wet and ruffled and his vest is clinging to his body. Her heart immediately begins to pound in her chest, so hard she thinks it might burst out.

"Uh, here." She thrusts the towel at him, deliberately averting her gaze.

"Thanks Bones." He smiles gratefully and uses the towel to dry off his hair then runs it across his chest, soaking up the excess water. She wraps her arms around her chest, trembling slightly but not from the cold material stuck to her skin. Booth doesn't fail to notice her shiver and he steps towards her, standing just inches away. He lifts the towel and wraps it around her shoulders, rubbing her arms through the soft material to dry her. Her eyes lift to meet his and she subconsciously licks her dry lips. The action causes Booth's heart to pound even harder and he leans forward at the same time as he draws her towards him by her upper arms, wanting to kiss her but fighting it at the same time. Their foreheads meet gently and painfully slowly, Booth lowers his lips to hers. Brennan's eyes flutter closed as she anticipates his next move and for once in her life she allows him to take full control, surrendering to whatever he wants. When he finally brushes his lips across hers in a feather light kiss, it is so soft Brennan wonders if it actually happened. She has no doubts however, when he leans back in, this time kissing her more urgently, his tongue slipping between her lips and caressing the inside of her mouth. His hands wrap around her back and pull her body flush against his, needing to have her close. She tilts her head back, letting out a soft moan as Booth's kisses move to her jaw then to her neck. Her own hands rise up and slide into his damp hair, pulling his head down closer to her.

"Booth." She mumbles, feeling that she ought to stop this before it goes too far. The line has been drawn between them and she knows how dangerous crossing that line could be. Booth kisses her a few more times before lifting his lips away from her skin and finding her eyes.

"We shouldn't, I know." He responds. But his words do not match the passion and lust Brennan sees in his eyes. He cannot resist placing one final kiss on her soft swollen lips before stepping away from her. "I'd better finish this." He moves quickly to the sink and kneels down to carry on his work, needing to distract his mind from what he just did. Brennan staggers back a few steps and leans against the counter, gathering her wits. After a moment she backs out of the kitchen and hurries to her bedroom, not caring what Booth might think about her departure.

Twenty minutes later Brennan emerges in clean dry clothing having spent the time bringing her erratic breathing and heart rate under control. Booth appears to have finished fixing the sink as the cupboard is now closed. He has also changed, having removed the wet vest and put on the black shirt he arrived in.

"All done." He smiles weakly. He contemplates talking to her about the kiss but cannot seem to find the words.

"Great." She nods, following him as he picks up his toolbox and his jacket and walks towards the door.

"I'll uh, see you Monday then."

"Sure. Monday." She repeats quietly, following his path until they are both standing at the door. "Thanks…for fixing my sink." She says.

"Any time Bones." Booth smiles as he steps into the hall. He takes a few steps backwards as Brennan slowly closes the door. He only turns when the door is shut and he is unable to see her.

Inside her apartment, Brennan leans against the door, her hand at her throat, vividly recalling the feel of Booth's lips on her skin. She is startled from her thoughts by a loud knock on the door. When she pulls it open, Booth stands before her, his eyes more intense than she has ever seen them. Brennan cannot speak but she doesn't have to. Booth drops his toolbox and his jacket, steps forward gathering Brennan in his arms. His lips are back on hers in seconds and she responds passionately, her arms wrapping around his back and pulling him closer. This time Brennan is the one to move her kisses, going from his lips to his jaw.

"I know we shouldn't." he gasps. "We drew the line."

"I know." Brennan mutters between kisses.

"Temperance." He whispers. She pulls back a little and finds his eyes. The look they share in that moment tells each other that whatever was said about 'the line' doesn't matter anymore. Years of pent up sexual tension explode as their lips meet again and their partnership forever changed.


End file.
